Motor-treadmill



R. D. GEORGE.

MOTORJREADMILL. APPLHCATION FILED MAR. 23, 1920.

1,353, 4 Patented Nov. 16, 1920,

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INVENTOR w/mssfs; 47 fl a/LV 301572 fl George A TTOR/VEYS H. D. GEORGE.

MOTOR TREADMILL. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1920.

1,358,842. Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

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RALPH DOUGLASS GEORGE, 915 KANSAS CITY, MISSDURI.

MOTOR-TREADMILL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 116, 1920.

Application filed March 23, 1920. Serial No. 368,133.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH D. GEORGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Kansas Cit in the county of Jackson issouri, have invented certain new andmuseful. Improvements in M0- tor-Treadmills, of which the" following is a specification.

My presentinvention relates generally to power apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for the convenient application of power from the rear wheels of automobiles, motor trucks, and the like for ex= ternal or distant application, my object being the provision of a simple, comparatively inexpensive apparatus, in connection with which the motor vehicle may be readily associated and disassociated in operative relation.

A further object is the provision of a sim-' ple and inexpensive construction, capable of ready control and economical upkeep for the above purposes.

These general objects, as well as the more particular objects of my invention and the resultin advantages thereof will be apparent rom a consideration of the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, form ng a part of this specification, and where1 n:-

' Figure 1, is a rear elevation of my improved apparatus,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view partly broken awe and in section,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to these figures, the frame generally. indicated at 10 of my improved apparatus. is preferably mounted so that its base 11 is below the level of the ground adjacent thereto, as particularly seen in Figs. 1 and 3 whereby the circular disk or tread mill plate 12 may be disposed level with the ground to facilitate movement of one of the rear wheels 13 onto and off of this disk in connection with certain features to be hereinafter described.

The disk 12 or't'read mill plate is securely mounted at itscenter upon a hub 14 se cured upon a vertical shaft 15. The upper and lower ends of this shaft res ectively have bearing in blocks 16' and 1 of the frame 10 and the latter of which supports a thrust bearing 18 for the lower end of the hub 14. I

Secured upon the upper portion of the hub 14 of disk 12 and arranged within the frame 10 is a beveled gear 19 in mesh witha beveled gear 20, loosely mounted upon an upper horizontal shaft 21, the latter of which is journaled at one end in the block 16 and at its opposite end in the bearing 22 of the frame, as seen in Fig. 3. Shaft 21 has a rigid drum 23 on which a cable 24 may be wound, having at one end a pulley 25 arranged for belt connection to any suitable point of power application involving the use of a belt, this pulley being utilized in the present instance, as a clutch head in connection with an expanding clutch 26 actuated by and from a lever 27.

It is thus obvious that upon rotation of the disk 12 power will be transmitted through gear 19 to gear 20 and from there to the pulley 25 and drum 23, so that either can be used, depending upon the particular work in hand.

My invention contemplates an apparatus of this character with which a motor vehicle such as a motor truck may be readily associated without trouble, and for this purpose proposes the use of track ways 28 and29 at one side of the axis of the disk 12 and in the same plane therewith, in connection with a movable guide plate 30 having a longitudinal slot 31 extending therein from one end and either of the ends of which may be disposed to abuta transverse rib 32 upon the'track 28.

Thus, a vehicle to bea'ssociated with the treadmill needs only to be driven under its own power along side ,the treadmill until one of its rear wheels passes from the track 28 and unto plate '30 in the position shown in Fig. 2 wherein the hearing which the plate 30 has against rib 32 gives the machine sufficient traction for continued forward movement until its adjacent rear wheel drops through the slot 31 of plate 30, at which time, it comes to rest in pro er relation upon the surface of disk 12. late 30 is then removed and the motor truck anchored against further forward movement by a suitable anchor including a hook bar 33,.as seen in Fig. 3, utilized in connection with a turnbuckle or other adjustable means 1 motor vehicle, with respect to that wheel of the disk 12 having traction on the ground will through the difierential of the rear shaft bring about increased speed of revolution of the wheelon the disk so as to retate the latter. However, if found desirable or necessary, the rear wheel resting upon the'ground may be anchored against rotation by any suitable means.

In moving the vehicle off of the treadmill which may be accomplished under its own power, the plate is removed from and is reversed with respect to the position shown in Fig. 2, with its slotted end abutting the rib 32 and with the inner end of its slot pressed closely against the adjacent portion of the periphery of the wheel so that the vehicle wheel will thus engage the plate and ride upwardly on the plate to proceed oil of the disk 12 and across the plate to the track 29.

It is thus obvious that my invention pro vides for ready association and dis-association of the operating member, namely the motor vehicle, and is susceptible of effective use for the purposes above stated wlthout endangering injury to the vehicle during its use. I J

I claim 1. A power applying device for use 111 connection with motor vehicles, including a horizontal driven wheel upon which one of the rear wheels of a motor vehicle may rest, track ways leading to and from one side of the said horizontal wheel and means detachmesses ably in connection with said track ways and reversible from one side to the other of said horizontal wheel to provide for traction of a motor vehicle onto and oil of the horizontal wheel under its own power, as described.

'2. A power applylng device for use in connection with motor vehicles, including a horizontal driven wheel upon which one of the rear wheels of a. motor vehicle may rest,

track ways leading to and from one side of the said horizontal wheel, and means in connection with said track ways to provide for traction of a motor onto and off of the horizontal wheel under its own power, as described, said means being in the form of a plate removably disposed on the horizontal wheel, and having bearing in connection with one of said trackways. v

3. A power applying device for use in connection with motor vehicles, including a horizontal driven wheel upon' which one of the rear wheels of a motor vehicle may rest, track ways leading to and from one side of the'said horizontal wheel, and means in connection with said track ways to provide for traction of a motor vehicle onto and off of the horizontal wheel under its own power, as described, said means consisting of a plate disposed on the horizontal wheel and provided with a lengthwise slot extending from one end, one of said track ways having a rib with which the said plate is reversibly engageable in endwise relation.

RALPH DOUGLASS snoaen. 

